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Not Praying in Mosque for Security Reasons

Question

My father refuses to let me to go to the mosque because of security reasons, and we all pray together in home and when I was praying before in the mosque they didn't pray, so when I pray in home they pray. Is praying in home with my family okay and not going to the mosque?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The scholars who believe that the congregational prayer is obligatory state that this obligation is annulled by any legal excuses. Their evidence is the Hadeeth reported by Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Whoever hears the Athaan and does not come (to the congregational prayer) his prayer is invalid unless he has a sound excuse.” The scholars defined the excuse that permits the non-participation in congregational prayers as the fear of almost certain harm or injury.

If your father's fear is of this kind, you should abide by his order, especially if your doing so encourages your family to continue performing prayers at their fixed times.

Allah knows best.

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